Chris Rodriguez Jr.
Running Back #23
Chris Rodriguez Jr. News
Chris Rodriguez Jr. a Sneaky Waiver Wire Target for Touchdown Upside
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has now scored a touchdown in back-to-back games, making him an appealing option for fantasy managers seeking a higher-ceiling player on the waiver wire. The waiver wire can run pretty dry at times, and the opportunity to get someone with touchdowns in two consecutive games doesn't come around very often. That's why Rodriguez is worth adding, despite the fact that he has just 14 touches over his last two games and hasn't played more than 25% of the snaps since Week 1. We expect Rodriguez's touchdown streak to earn him more volume going forward, and he might even find the end zone again. Plus, even in the worst-case scenario, he's still a solid handcuff given his role in a highly productive offense.
Oct 5, 2026 8:35 PM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. is Gaining Value After Scoring in Back-to-Back Games
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. is beginning to turn a corner after a slow start to the season. Rodriguez has been quiet during the first two weeks, but he has found the end zone in each of the last two games. So far across four games, Rodriguez has carried the ball 26 times for 108 yards and two scores. He usually only gets six carries per game, but he has salvaged his fantasy value with two trips into the end zone. Fantasy managers who are looking for running back help should consider adding Rodriguez. He would see an increased role if Bhayshul Tuten ever goes down with an injury. Until then, Rodriguez is a touchdown-dependent option who might be able to help fantasy managers in deep leagues.
Oct 5, 2026 6:16 PM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Remains Tough to Trust in Week 4
Across three games in 2026, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has recorded 20 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown. The 26-year-old has split backfield work with fellow Jaguars back Bhayshul Tuten. However, Tuten has out-touched Rodriguez Jr. in all three games and appears to be separating himself as the clear RB1 in Jacksonville. Rodriguez Jr. may be in line for another quiet game in Week 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati has been stingy against the run so far this season, ranking ninth in the NFL in total rushing yards allowed (287). Rodriguez Jr. has yet to record a single target out of the backfield in 2026, so he needs to see rushing volume to produce for fantasy managers. Between his role and the tough matchup, Rodriguez Jr. should be left on the bench by fantasy managers in Week 4.
Oct 3, 2026 12:46 PM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Worth Stashing as a Top Handcuff
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. doesn't have weekly standalone value, but he remains an intriguing waiver wire target given his status as the preferred handcuff option behind Bhayshul Tuten. Rodriguez looked solid with an increased workload in Week 3, rushing for 37 yards and one touchdown on eight carries. We can't count on him for a touchdown every week, but his solid volume and efficiency should leave managers feeling encouraged that he can be plugged into lineups as a low-end RB2 or high-end RB3/flex if Tuten ever misses any time. As a result, managers in 12+ team leagues should consider snagging Rodriguez off the waiver wire, especially if they already have Tuten on their roster.
Sep 28, 2026 9:40 PM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Looking to Get More Involved in Week 2
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. should be viewed as a bench stash heading into Week 2 against the Denver Broncos. The 26-year-old back only had six touches in a blowout victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 1, and was less efficient on the ground than both Bhayshul Tuten and Ameer Abdullah. He could be relied on a bit more in a much tougher game, but it is hard to trust him in fantasy lineups. He is still listed as a co-starter with Tuten on the depth chart, but the allocated touches in Week 1 didn't line up with that sentiment (16 touches to six). However, the snap share was more even, with Tuten playing 28 snaps and Rodriguez Jr. playing 23. Despite decent playing time, only desperate fantasy managers should consider starting Rodriguez Jr. against the Broncos.
Sep 19, 2026 7:46 AM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Sees Valuable Short Yardage Role in Week 1
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. opened his 2026 season with six carries for 23 yards in the team's dominant 34-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Rodriguez did not produce fantasy-relevant numbers in Week 1 but remained a key part of the Jaguars' backfield alongside Bhayshul Tuten. He played 23 of 50 snaps (46%), including most of the short-yardage snaps, and took the only goal-line snap of the game. Given how effective the Jaguars' offense under Liam Coen looked, the team should have plenty of opportunities for red zone and goal-line looks this season. He faces the Denver Broncos' defense next week, which was the NFL's best run defense last season, but his current role leaves him as a waiver-wire priority in Week 1.
Sep 14, 2026 5:31 AM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. a Bench Stash Entering Week 1
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. is an interesting fantasy option entering Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns. The 25-year-old back played well in college at Kentucky while playing in Liam Coen's offense, so the two reuniting is an interesting storyline. Rodriguez Jr. has shown signs of being a good rusher in the NFL, but has very limited receiving skills, making him unlikely to ever be a bell cow. However, with him being listed as a co-starter with young, unproven back Bhayshul Tuten, the Kentucky product could be involved enough in the offense to be fantasy relevant. For now, that is hard to know for sure, so fantasy managers should be patient with putting him in starting lineups. However, in deeper leagues, he isn't a bad option as a low-end FLEX play. It should take a week or two to truly know Rodriguez Jr.'s fantasy value this season, so keep him on the bench for now in Week 1 in standard leagues.
Sep 12, 2026 8:22 AM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Emerging as Key Part of Backfield Despite Buzz Around Teammate
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has emerged as a last-minute riser in fantasy football ahead of the start of the 2026 NFL season. The narrative for several months has been that Bhayshul Tuten would lead the Jags' backfield, and while that still might be the case, it's worth noting that the team's official depth chart lists Tuten and Rodriguez as sharing the No. 1 role. Perhaps we shouldn't be that surprised. After all, Tuten was the backup to Travis Etienne Jr. last year, so he hasn't handled a workhorse role yet. Additionally, there was plenty of buzz during the offseason that head coach Liam Coen expected big things from Rodriguez, whom he coached in college. The exact fantasy outlook for both of these backs remains a bit murky until we've seen how the backfield shakes out through the first game or two. For now, we'd view Tuten as a fringe RB2/RB3 and Rodriguez as a fringe RB3/RB4. That's still enough to get Rodriguez on the fantasy radar in 10+ team leagues, and he's a potential Week 1 flex for managers in 14+ team leagues, especially against a Browns defense that is trending down.
Sep 9, 2026 6:39 AM EST
Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez Jr. Listed as Co-Starters at RB
On the Jacksonville Jaguars' unofficial depth chart heading into Week 1 of the 2026 regular season this Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, running backs Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. are listed as co-starters at the RB position. Tuten, a second-year back who had 307 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns in his rookie campaign last year, is expected to see most of the early-down rushing opportunities for the Jaguars this year, and he has the most fantasy football upside because of his explosive big-play abilities out of the backfield. However, Rodriguez's presence as a pass-catching and goal-line option for head coach Liam Coen's offense will certainly lower Tuten's overall ceiling in Year 2 in Duvall. Fantasy managers should keep in mind that pass-catching specialist LeQuint Allen Jr. (undisclosed) is trending towards missing the season opener, which could give C-Rod more work as a receiver out of the backfield. Going into the Week 1 matchup against Cleveland, Tuten is the preferred fantasy option as a low-end RB2/high-end RB3/flex, while Rodriguez will be more of a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex option in PPR formats.
Sep 8, 2026 8:42 AM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr.'s Stock Rising Amidst Preseason Buzz in Jacksonville
After recording 500 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 112 carries across 11 games for the Washington Commanders in 2025, veteran running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. signed a two-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars for 2026. In Jacksonville, Rodriguez Jr. looks to be competing with second-year back Bhayshul Tuten for the team's RB1 role. While Tuten flashed more explosive upside during his rookie campaign with the Jags, recent reporting out of Jacksonville indicates that Rodriguez Jr. is playing well in practice. The 25-year-old profiles as the more physical runner of Jacksonville's top two backs, which could help earn the majority of the goal-line work. Rodriguez Jr. could also be the Jaguars' top pass-protecting back, particularly while third-down specialist LeQuint Allen Jr. (undisclosed) is sidelined by a soft-tissue injury. As a later-round pick in many drafts, Rodriguez Jr. could end up being a value selection for fantasy managers.
Sep 3, 2026 12:17 PM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Sees Key Pass-Protection Reps Over Teammate
Sports Illustrated's John Shipley points out that Jacksonville Jaguars running backs Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten got seemingly equal reps throughout the entire training camp practice on Wednesday, but when the team went to their end-of-game drill in the final portion of practice, it was Rodriguez "who got the nod at RB." It mostly meant pass protection for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, although the Jags did throw a screen to Rodriguez earlier on the drive. It is important to note that pass-catching back LeQuint Allen Jr. (undisclosed) is out with a soft-tissue injury and will miss the rest of camp. Without Allen, there is a clear void when it comes to the passing-down depth chart. Shipley recently stated that he thinks C-Rod is the team's best pass-protecting RB with Allen injured, which means his fantasy stock could receive a significant early-season boost if Allen is not ready to handle his normal pass-blocking and third-down role. The 25-year-old Rodriguez has been lauded this summer for his power running as well, and his previous experience with head coach Liam Coen in college at Kentucky could eventually give him the upper hand over Tuten in 2026, despite Tuten's obvious explosive tendencies and home run ability at the position.
Aug 26, 2026 8:22 AM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Impressing With his Power Running
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has been impressive as a power runner in training camp, according to John Shipley of Sports Illustrated. However, fellow RB Bhayshul Tuten "has done nothing to diminish the early offseason hype." Tuten might be more explosive overall as a runner, but Rodriguez is going to have a key role in Jacksonville's backfield this year, and Shipley also thinks C-Rod might be the team's best pass-blocking RB outside of LeQuint Allen Jr. The 25-year-old is a full-go despite having offseason foot surgery, and the Jags have listed Rodriguez and Tuten as co-starters going into the 2026 regular season. Rodriguez is more of a bruiser between the tackles, which could earn him valuable goal-line touches in his first year in Duvall. But while sharing snaps and touches with Tuten and Allen, Rodriguez's fantasy value looks to be as a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex. If Allen misses any time this year due to injury, Rodriguez could become Jacksonville's preferred third-down back as well. RotoBaller has C-Rod as the RB39, with Tuten coming in at No. 26.
Aug 24, 2026 10:43 AM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Can Find Weekly Fantasy Relevance Through Efficiency and Goal Line Usage
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. quietly put together one of the position's most efficient seasons in his final year with the Commanders, routinely churning through contact to find additional yards over expectation. Reconnecting with his former collegiate offensive coordinator after signing a two-year free agent deal, there is an expectation that Rodriguez can earn a meaningful role near the goal line, as Liam Coen, now the Jaguars' head coach, has witnessed first-hand the difficulty defenders have in bringing him to the ground. Offseason foot surgery caused Rodriguez to miss all of OTAs and minicamp, allowing second-year back Bhayshul Tuten to gain steam in the competition to replace the 307 vacated opportunities of Travis Etienne Jr. from a season ago. Still, both backs could see heavy involvement in 2026, with their complementary skill sets providing each with a path to fantasy relevance. While a true committee will cap both players' ceiling, Rodriguez's touchdown upside still makes him a strong potential value, currently being drafted as the RB47.
Aug 24, 2026 5:37 AM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Getting Plenty of First-Team Work
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. is getting plenty of work with the first-team offense. John Oehser noted Thursday that Rodriguez was seeing a lot of reps with the starters and described him as a hard, physical runner. That's another encouraging sign in a backfield that still looks unsettled. Jacksonville's first unofficial depth chart lists Rodriguez and Bhayshul Tuten as co-starters, and the two have been sharing first-team work throughout camp. Rodriguez rushed for 500 yards and six touchdowns on 112 carries for Washington last season, with all six scores coming in the red zone. He's also worked his way back from offseason left foot surgery, making his current workload worth noting. Tuten isn't going away, and LeQuint Allen Jr. remains part of the mix, particularly on passing downs. Still, Rodriguez keeps getting meaningful reps with Trevor Lawrence and the starters. At this point, he's looking like more than just a short-yardage specialist.
Aug 13, 2026 12:26 PM EST
Bhayshul Tuten, Chris Rodriguez Jr. Listed as Co-Starters
Jacksonville Jaguars running backs Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. are listed as co-starters on the team's first unofficial depth chart, according to Ryan O'Halloran. The designation fits a competition that has stayed open through camp rather than a backfield Tuten has already claimed. Tuten scored seven total touchdowns as a rookie, rushing 83 times for 307 yards and five scores while adding two receiving touchdowns. Rodriguez comes over from Washington after the best season of his career, when he ran for 500 yards and six touchdowns on 112 carries in 13 games. He also worked his way back into team drills after offseason left-foot surgery and has produced chunk runs in camp. An unofficial August depth chart is not a promise of how the carries will be divided once the season starts, but this is still meaningful for Tuten's outlook. He may eventually separate, but Jacksonville is not treating Rodriguez like a distant backup right now.
Aug 11, 2026 11:07 AM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Utilized Near the Goal Line in Friday's Scrimmage
Sports Illustrated's John Shipley reports that the Jacksonville Jaguars' backfield plans are starting to come into focus during their scrimmage at training camp on Friday. New running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. was limited at the start of camp due to a foot injury that required surgery in the spring, but he has been mixing in more this week and shared the backfield with Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. during Friday's scrimmage. Friday only reinforced the notion that head coach Liam Coen is leaning toward a backfield committee with Tuten, Rodriguez, and Allen. Tuten started the first drive and only came off the field on third down for Allen. Then C-Rod started the second drive before rotating with Tuten. Eventually, Tuten started the drives, but he came off the field in favor of Rodriguez when the team got within the 10-yard line, with Allen playing all the third downs. Both Rodriguez and Tuten had some nice runs, with Allen scoring a receiving touchdown. Fantasy managers shouldn't read too much into the team's first training camp scrimmage, but it suggests that Rodriguez and Tuten will split early-down carries, with Rodriguez potentially serving as the goal-line back.
Aug 7, 2026 10:24 AM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Pushing for Goal-Line Work
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. had his busiest practice of training camp Thursday and made his strongest impression in short-yardage work, according to Sports Illustrated. Rodriguez handled several carries during team drills, caught a short pass from Trevor Lawrence, and repeatedly powered the offense away from its own goal line. Every carry reportedly gained positive yardage, continuing a strong start to padded practices for the 5-foot-11, 224-pound back. Rodriguez rushed for 500 yards and six touchdowns on 112 carries with Washington last season, but he has caught only six passes through three NFL seasons. The Jaguars have not settled on how they will divide the backfield, though Rodriguez is making a convincing case for the heavy work near the goal line. That role could make him a touchdown-dependent option in deeper fantasy leagues.
Aug 6, 2026 9:26 AM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Takes Part in Team Drills Again on Monday
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (foot) took part in team drills during Monday's training camp practice for the second straight day after only doing individual drills in the first three practices of camp following offseason foot surgery that kept him sidelined for the entire offseason program, according to John Oehser and John Shipley of Jaguars.com. "He's continuously getting better, and we're just trying to be smart with getting him to work, getting him acclimated while not trying to aggravate it, knowing that we're so early on. I know he was excited about getting the pads on," head coach Liam Coen said. C-Rod's injury has helped Bhayshul Tuten stand out as the Jags' RB1 in the offseason and so far in training camp, but the 25-year-old Rodriguez is going to be involved during the regular season, and it doesn't hurt his cause that he has former experience working with Coen in college at the University of Kentucky. A committee approach will most likely be utilized, at least to start the year, with Rodriguez and Tuten sharing early-down, short-yardage, and goal-line situations, with LeQuint Allen Jr. likely to handle most of the third-down work. Tuten is the more explosive upside RB2 target, while Rodriguez should be considered more of an RB3/flex in upcoming fantasy drafts in Jacksonville's ascending offense.
Aug 3, 2026 5:17 PM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Takes First Team-Drill Reps of Camp
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (foot) took his first team-drill reps of training camp Sunday, receiving two carries after being limited to individual work during the first three practices. Sports Illustrated reported that one handoff came from Nick Mullens and the other from Trevor Lawrence. Rodriguez underwent surgery on his left foot after suffering the injury during the offseason conditioning program, and Jacksonville has been cautious with his workload. He signed with the Jaguars in March after setting career highs with 112 carries, 500 rushing yards, and six touchdowns in 13 games for Washington last season. Bhayshul Tuten has handled much of the important backfield work while Rodriguez has been limited, so two carries are not enough to clarify the pecking order. Still, getting into team drills is a meaningful step for a player Jacksonville added to compete for touches following Travis Etienne Jr.'s departure. Rodriguez remains a name to monitor, but his fantasy outlook will stay uncertain until he is able to handle a fuller practice workload.
Aug 2, 2026 11:45 AM EST
Chris Rodriguez Jr. Expected to be Ready for Week 1, Jaguars Easing him in
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (foot) suffered a foot injury on the first day of the offseason program in the spring, keeping him out for all of organized team activities and minicamp after he required surgery. Rodriguez was cleared for the start of training camp, but he only took part in individual drills on Wednesday and was held out of team work. Sports Illustrated's John Shipley writes that the Jaguars are taking things "nice and slow" with their big offseason addition to the backfield. The plan is for the Jaguars to ease C-Rod back in and have him ready to go for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Cleveland Browns. His absence has allowed Bhayshul Tuten to get all the work with the first-team offense, and he's looked great. Still, the Jags plan is for Rodriguez to be a key piece of their ground game in 2026, and it helps his cause that he has history with head coach Liam Coen from his days at Kentucky in college. He's coming off a strong season in Washington -- 112 rushes for career highs in rushing yards (500) and rushing touchdowns (six) in 13 games -- but he's never been a true lead back in the NFL, and that won't happen in Jacksonville, either. Tuten has a leg up to lead the backfield in touches, with C-Rod competing for a change-of-pace role with third-down pass-catcher LeQuint Allen Jr. Rodriguez should be considered more of an RB3/flex going into his first year in Duval.
Jul 30, 2026 9:21 AM EST
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